Ulterior Motives
by Lady Lena 99
Summary: In a game of chess, there is always an ulterior motive for each action. Likewise every action, however innocent, can have an ulterior motive. Especially when it came to Potter. James Potter. Lily/James


**A/N: This is my first Harry Potter fanfic. Please read and review!!! Tell me if you love it or hate it. I'm not sure if I'll continue this story but if I do get some reviews I will. Happy reading!**

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Chapter 1 A Game of Chess

_**Lily's POV**_

**Ulterior –** something you keep hidden or secret

**Motive –** a reason for doing something, often something bad

**Ulterior Motive -** a second and underlying motive, usually a selfish or dishonourable one

Those are the dictionary definitions for the words ulterior and motive. Note that those two words aren't exactly the nicest words you could use.

This is my definition for the word motive.

**Motive -** the sense of need, desire or fear that prompts an individual to act or begin a movement.

There is nothing wrong with motives, when they are properly aligned. Everybody in this world has a motive almost every second.

Moving your hand to grab a glass of water could have the motive to quench your thirst. Walking to the toilet has the motive to relieve yourself. Reading a book could have the motive for enjoyment.

Every action we participate in is fuelled by motives. But when motives become misaligned, this is when major problems can occur.

When there comes an intertwining of good actions with wrong motives, we call that having an ulterior motive. That is, the reason behind your good action is not pure. It is not what it appears to be.

Likewise, in a game of chess there is almost always an ulterior motive. A seemingly innocent action like moving your pawn a step forwards could have an ulterior motive like tempting your opponent to take your pawn.

Receiving a bouquet of roses could be a simple show of affection or it could be a cover up for an ulterior motive like:

**A)** Secretly asking you out on a date

**B)** A subtle message telling you that you have bad body odour

**C)** Trying to make you sick! (Hey! It's possible if you have an allergy to roses!)

Getting a broom as a birthday present could also have several ulterior motives like:

**A)** A present to bribe you to join the Quidditch team

**B)** A message to tell you to exercise more

**C)** Hoping you'll fall off your new broom and die!

I would've never thought that in my 7th year at Hogwarts, I would learn that everything that happens **ALWAYS** has an ulterior motive. Especially when it came to Potter. James Potter.

And so I'll begin my story with an innocent game of chess …

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… I frowned as I studied the chess board. I had no idea which chess piece I should move. Looking towards the middle of the chess board I saw the innocent, white pawn, Remus had just moved.

I glanced at Remus's face which he quickly wiped of his sunning smirk. I looked back down at the board, glaring daggers at the white pawn. It was literally beckoning for me to take it with my Knight. Biting back a growl, I swept my eyes across the board, searching for any traps.

Feeling Remus's gaze on me, I lifted my head and narrowed my eyes at him. His eye's twinkled with hidden laughter and the corners of his mouth twitched, as he patiently waited for me to make my move. Black however, was not so patient.

"Hurry up Evans! Make your move so I can receive my money!"

My best friend Annalese opened her mouth and said, "Shut it Black! We all know Lily's going to win. You may as well give me those galleons."

Black began to retort, but another glare from Annalese made him shut up. I know for a fact that Annalese's glares were really scary. I was often on the receiving end of one.

Taking my time, I picked up my Knight and moved him ever so slowly towards the pawn. Hovering just above the pawn, I chanced a look at Remus and found his face devoid of all emotion.

In slow motion, I knocked his pawn over and placed my Knight in the now free square. I picked up the fallen pawn and placed it down on the ground beside me.

I debated with myself the tantalizing action to look at Remus. After several minutes of complete silence, I gave in and lifted my eyes to rest upon his.

Big mistake.

I gulped as I watched a big grin spread across his face. His eyes sparkled with satisfaction as he moved his hand towards the chess pieces. His hand rested on his white Knight. After that he simply looked at me. Remus's eyes flickered towards the Knight he was holding, then across to my Queen, before finally resting on my King.

Uh oh.

My eyes widen as I realised my big mistake. "Oh no!" I moaned. I buried my head in my hands, unable to watch as Remus made his move.

I heard his rumble of laughter. I could just picture his eyes brimming with glee as he moved his white Knight to fork my unsuspecting King and Queen.

"Check," came Remus's triumphant voice.

I sighed as I raised my head and looked forlornly at the board. I heard Annalese wack her head on the wall behind her.

I picked up my King and moved him a square to the right. There was nothing else I could do. None of my chess pieces could take out Remus's Knight. His stupid pawn had been a trap.

"You are evil," I said.

"I know," answered Remus. He calmly captured my Queen and motioned for me to take my turn.

I whipped my head up and I looked him straight in the eyes. Long and hard. I held his gaze a second longer before I lowered my eyes to the board.

Oh no. This. Was. Very. Bad.

"Merlin!" I shrieked. "You – you – evil PERSON!"

Remus looked amusedly at me.

I followed Annalese's example and banged my head on the wall behind me. After kidnapping my Queen with his Knight, Remus now had me in another fork with both my Rook AND my Bishop.

"ARRGH!" I cried. "I'm so going to lose!"

Deciding to move my Rook, I prayed that I had made the right choice. After all, nothing worse could happen. Right?

But of course, I was proven wrong! Again.

Remus choked back his laughter. Instead of taking my Bishop, Remus's placed his hand on his Queen and moved her diagonally across the board.

Grinning evilly he looked me in the eyes and said … the WORD.

Yes, the Word.

I watched hopelessly as his mouth dropped open and he uttered the WORD.

"Checkmate!"

Once again, I buried my head in my arms. I heard Black's hoot of victory and his demand for Annalese to pay up. Annalese grumbled and cursed under her breath before reluctantly handing over the money.

I finally looked up to see Remus wearing a smile way too big for his face.

"You tricked me!" I accused. "That little innocent pawn was a decoy!"

Remus nodded his head. "It was. And you happily swallowed the bait."

"I should've known you had ulterior motives! Tell me exactly the ulterior motives that were running through your mind!"

"The 'little, innocent pawn' was a distraction. A decoy. Once you swallowed the bait by taking the 'little, innocent pawn' with your knight, I just forked the two most important pieces, thus checking your King and endangering your Queen. You had no other choice but to move your King out of check, letting me capture your Queen."

"Kidnap is a much better word," I muttered darkly.

Remus cracked a smile. "After 'kidnapping' your Queen, I also forked you Rook and Bishop. I killed two birds with one stone, as muggles would put it. You of course rose to the second bait, by moving you Rook."

"What you should have done," continued Remus, "was moved your Bishop to check my King. But you didn't do that. Instead you opted to move your Rook. The fork, just like the 'little, innocent pawn' was just a decoy. A distraction. All I had to do was move my Queen and volia! Checkmate!"

I picked up the 'little, innocent pawn'. "Stupid pawn!" I muttered. "I know your secret. You aren't an innocent pawn after all!"

Mustering my strength, I threw the pawn at the compartment door, but with my history of bad luck, the door opened. A sickening crunch could be heard as the pawn collided with the unfortunate person.

My mouth dropped open as I rushed to the boy doubled over on the ground.

"Oh Merlin. Are you okay?" I asked concerned.

The boy removed his hand from his face. I gasped as I stared into the boy's hazel eyes. His blue rimmed glassed had been shattered, and were lying forlornly on the ground next to the pawn.

"Trying to kill me Evans? What would Dumbledore say when he finds out the Head Girl was trying to kill a Hogwart's student?"

"I was not trying to kill you!" I snapped angrily. "But maybe I should have! The world would be a better place if you didn't exist!"

"Then pray tell me Evans, if you weren't trying to kill me, what were your ulterior motives?"

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**A/N: Reviews would be lovely! LL99**


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